1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector system consisting of a pair of electrical connectors for connecting a pair of electrical cables.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese UM patent application Kokoku No. 8-9899 discloses an electrical connector system consisting of male and female connectors each comprising a connector housing, a male or female terminal unit provided in the housing, and a retainer provided in the housing, respectively.
As FIG. 20 shows, the male terminal unit 130 is made by providing an insulation block 134 for supporting a male terminal 133 in the tubular section 132 of a shield member 131 and crimping a pair of press-connection tabs 136 and a pair of outer sheath press-connection tabs 140 on the outer conductor (meshed or wounded shield) 139 and the outer sheath 141 of a shield cable 137, respectively, to connect under pressure the inner conductor 142 of the shield cable 137 to the press-connection section 143 of the male terminal 133.
Also, the female terminal unit is made by providing an insulation block with a female terminal in the shield tubular section of a shield member, crimping a pair of shield press-connection tabs and a pair of outer sheath press-connection tabs on the outer conductor and the outer sheath of a shield cable, respectively, to connect under pressure the inner conductor of the shield cable to the press-connection section of the female terminal.
The male and female connectors are plugged into each other by fitting the fitting section of the female connector to the fitting cavity of the male connector and inserting the shield tubular section of the female connector into the shield tubular section 132 of the male connector to bring the male and female shield members into contact with each other, and engaging the male and female lock members.
As FIG. 21 shows, the shield cable 137 comprises a pair of core wires 145 each having a plurality of inner conductors 142 provided with an insulation layer 144, an outer conductor 139 covering the core wires 145, and an outer sheath 141 covering the outer conductor 139.
In the above conventional electrical connector, however, the inner conductor 142 of the shield cable 137 is not connected to the press-connection section 133 of the male terminal 133 so that if the shield cable 137 receives a pull, the inner conductor 142 is separated from the press-connection tabs 143, making the connection unreliable.
The above shield cable has various cross-sections and the core wires 145 is so close to the outer conductor 139 that the cutting blade of an automatic machine does not work. If the cutting amount is too small, the outer sheath 141 and conductor 139 cannot be stripped. If the cutting amount is too large, the outer conductor 139 and/or the core wire 142 is damaged. Thus, setting a proper cutting amount has been too difficult to provide an automatic termination operation.